Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 241

"Mom, I'm bunking with you tonight." Lucinda strolled into Janice's room, pillow in tow.

Janice was more than willing, but she shot a glance at Stefan.

Stefan, ever considerate, piped up, "Mom, let Lucy sleep with you; you guys can have a good heart-to-heart."

Since Stefan was on board, Janice was thrilled and shot Stefan a goodnight with a smile, "Stefan, night."

"Night, Mom."

Stefan looked toward Lucinda. She had already nestled herself in the room, not even bothering to bid him goodnight.

“No biggie,” he thought. Seeing her happy was worth letting it slide.

Janice shut the door.

Stefan stood at the door for a good few minutes, ensuring it wouldn't be opened again, before he finally trudged off.

Ike was clumsily guiding a totally plastered Keith upstairs.

"How the hell did he get so wasted?" Stefan quickly rushed over to help steady Keith.

After a late-night snack, the guys cracked open a few cold ones. Stefan opted out but reminded them not to drink themselves under the table.

But Keith went all out and ended up hammered.

They managed to get Keith into the guest room and onto the bed. Ike plopped down on the edge of the bed, panting, "Except for me, everyone else is out cold. I had to help Keith up the stairs. The guy can barely stand. I'm beat."

"Weren't you guys told not to get hammered?"

Stefan bent down to remove Keith's shoes and socks, then helped him out of his jacket. Seeing that Keith was totally sloshed but still had his makeup on, Stefan fetched a basin of water from the bathroom. He wet a towel and wiped Keith's face, scrubbing off the makeup after a few attempts.

Once Stefan had done everything, Ike said, "Keith said after he became the young master of the Blue family, he hasn't had a single day of peace. The pressure is relentless. It's rare for him to kick back, so he got a little carried away because he was so happy and ended up drunk."

"I figured since he was finally letting loose, I'd let him drink. His life is really tough!"

Despite his high status, he was under constant scrutiny. Even his own father, Nathan, might not have been on his side. Keith was surely under a lot of pressure.

Ike even doubted anyone in the Blue family could be a trusted ally for Keith.

Keith was really pitiful and had a tough life.

Actually, they, as ordinary people, had it easy. No complex issues, a small income, but a harmonious family. Plain days were the real bliss.

"It's definitely not easy."

"Stefan, you have to help Keith and Lucy more in the future," Ike said, "I'll try my best too, to become stronger and be Lucy's support. With us around, even if the Blue family situation gets complicated, it won't affect her."

"Those who hurt Janice should get what they deserve. We need to help Lucy and her brother hold firmly on to what they want most, and not let them succeed!"

With a cold look in his eyes, Stefan said in a low voice, "Absolutely."

"Where were you off to just now?" Ike abruptly asked.

"Nothing. Lucy wanted to sleep with Janice, so I was just taking her there."

"On the same floor, and you still need to escort her?" Ike teased, "You want to act generous but can't let go, right? If you can't sleep because of that, then..."

Stefan was about to call the housekeeper on his phone, but Ike stopped him.

"No need; I'll just bunk with Keith. I have to go to work tomorrow, unlike you, the big boss. Even if you don't show up, no one will say a word. Sigh, I'm just a working stiff."

Stefan laughed, "You're a shareholder in the company too, a boss in your own right. Stop complaining about being a working stiff; what would the actual working stiffs think?"

"Then just bunk with Keith. There are clothes and toiletries in the closet, all sizes. Pick out something that fits. They're all new and washed."

Ike was taken aback, "You guys have clothes and toiletries ready in your guest room? How do you know what size the guest wears, whether they're male or female?"

"Like I said, all sizes are available for both genders and all age groups."

Not many people actually got to stay over at Ascend Estate. However, all the guest rooms had clothes provided in the wardrobes.

It was a provision for guests like Ike, who, for whatever reason, couldn't leave on the same day and needed to spend the night at the estate.

"The Anderson family really got their act together; they're on the ball," Ike praised.

And that's why Stefan had been keeping tabs on Lucy for eleven years, unbeknownst to them all.

Lucy didn't just fall into Stefan's trap; she even thought she'd pulled a fast one on Stefan!

Ike couldn't help but facepalm. His sister Lucy was such a numbskull!

It was also because Stefan kept things under wraps so well. He and Stefan were classmates for four years, and they kept in touch even after they graduated college. They may not have been best buds, but they definitely shared some camaraderie as old classmates.

Back then, when Ike heard from Gabriel Turner that Stefan was getting hitched, he didn't even wait for Gabriel to tell him who the bride was before he was on the phone to Stefan, excitedly offering to be the best man. He thought he was just a bystander, but little did he know that Stefan's bride-to-be was his own sister, Lucinda!